Thame United were back at the ASM Stadium on Saturday as they welcomed Ware in the Pitching in Southern League Division One. This was a meeting of two of the form sides in the league, Thame top and Ware in third place, with Ware 8 points behind Thame in the table in seventh place and were still harbouring ambitions of reaching the play offs. The two teams met back in December with the game ending in a two two draw after Thame came back from two goals down and were unlucky not to come away with the three points as they created a lot changes, but were met with a very good goalkeeper performance that keep Ware in the game. Manager Ben Williams was again able to field an unchanged side, with one change on the bench, Fin Murray returning from concussion protocol replacing Leo Galpin.

Ware got the game under way kicking towards the ring road end, there was a strong wind which seemed to be changing direction, so was favouring but teams. The first chance of the game fell to Brayden Daniel, on 5 minutes picking up a long clearance on the left, beating the full back but his shot was saved by the keeper at the near post and out for a corner. Moments later Louis Walsh had another chance picking the ball up on the edge of the area in a central position but his shot was wide of the left hand goal. Mark Riddick then had a half chance after a speculative shot form the edge of the box, which looped up and was comfortably saved by the keeper. Ware had there first ventured into the Thame box on 15 minutes but a cross was cleared and as it was played back in it was headed wide. Meanwhile back at the other end, Jack Tutton tried a long range shot after seeing the keeper off the line but was saved then Louis Walsh had the best chance of the opening exchanges, picking the ball up in the right hand side of the box, but his shot was blocked by a diving defender which deflected the ball over the bar for a corner. There was a big shout for a penalty on 22 minutes Louis Walsh running in to meet a long ball shoulder to shoulder with the Ware number six, then going down as they made contact, but the referee waived away the appeals.

Ware had their first shot on target on 29 minutes, a break on the left resulted in the ball being crossed into the box, first to the ball was the Ware number 9 who’s shot on goal was cleared off of the line. The clearance upfield fell to Louis Walsh who raced into the box on the right hand side but his right footed shot was into the side netting. Brayden Daniel was then unlucky, as he brook into the box, on the left but his left footed shot, beat the keeper but bounced off of the inside of the post and was cleared. Jack Tutton went into the referees book on 32 minutes after a coming together with one of the Ware players resulted in both receiving yellow cards. Louis Walsh then had another chance on the edge of the area but his shot was high and wide. Then Curtis Brown picking the ball up from a throwing had a long range effort wide of the right hand up right. Against the run of play Ware took the lead, The ball was played into the box on the right between the centre back and full back, the Ware number 10 picked the ball and played the ball across the area past keeper Crowther where the Ware number ten had got in from of the Thame full back and tapped the ball into an empty net. There was a strong suspicion of offside, but the Assistant referee wasn’t up with play so wasn't in line. The half ended with Ware in front against the run of play.

Thame started the second half strongly Ethan Lack long range shot going wide and were winning the midfield battle and putting pressure on the flanks but couldn't get the final third pass right Luke Tingey picked up a yellow card on 50 minutes after bringing down the Ware left winger as he attempted to run in on goal. Thame’s second half dominance paid off on 58 minutes with a deserved equaliser coming from the head of Mark Riddick, a free kick from just inside the Ware half was launched in the box, it was headed clear and fell to Louis Walsh who controlled the ball and delivered it back into the box where Riddick rose above the defence to head the ball back across the goal and into the left hand side of the goal. Thame made their first substitute on 60 minutes with Greg Hackett replacing Ethan Lack and Harry Alexander moving from the wing into the number 10 position.

Thame were pressing forward looking for the winning goal, but Ware were looking dangerous on the counter attack, but chances at either end were limited with Greg Hackett long range shot saved by the keeper.and moment later in was deja vue with an identical run cut inside and shot from Hackett saved by the keeper. The visitors finished the game strongly and were looking danger on the left wing with three chances in. The final few minutes, firstly a left footed shot hit the far post, then another shot from the left went straight across the goal and out for a corner, in added time another break on the right saw the ball played back into the Thame box but the shot from the Wear number nine was blocked and cleared. There was a late Substitute for Thame as Charlie Stow replaced Louis Walsh in the 87th minute. Dan West picked up a late yellow card in the 93rd minute for pulling the shirt of a Ware attacker giving a way a free kick right on the edge of the box by the goal line, the Ware players were convinced they should have had a penalty as the tackle was inside the box, but after the referee consulted the Assistant Referee it was just a free kick given.

The game ended with the scores level, and on the balance of play probably a fair result, Thame starting the game well, but Ware finishing the strongest, the point suiting Thame rather than Ware who still remain eight points behind with just five games to go, next up we go into a busy Easter weekend with games on Good Friday and Bank Holiday Monday for all teams.

Goals
Mark Riddick (61 minutes)

Starting Eleven

1 Matty Crowther
2 Callum Hall
3 Curtis Brown
4 Ethan Lack (Greg Hackett 79 minutes)
5 Luke Tingey
6 Mark Riddick (C)
7 Brayden Daniel
8 Jack Tutton
9 Louis Walsh (Charlie Stow 82 minutes)
10 Dan West
11 Harry Alexander

Substitutes

12 Lance Williams
14 Abu Khan
15 Greg Hackett
16 Fin Murray
17 Charlie Stow

Attendance 170